Strength tester



Why 6 1 924.

- 1,493,387 E.- M. ROBERTS STRENGTH TESTER Filed Nov. 14 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6 1924. 1,493,387

E. M. ROBERTS STRENGTH TESTER I 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed Nov. 14', 1921 v w A Y A Patented May 6, 1924.

EDWARD M. RO'IBEBTS,OF L'O1 TG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

STRENGTH TESTER.

Application filed November 14, 1921. Serial 1\To. 515,022

T 0 all whom 2'2 mag concern Be it known that I, EDWARD M. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United Statesre'siding at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, "have invented a new and useful Strength Tester, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus designed primarily for testing a persons grip, one of the objects of the invention being to provide relatively movable members adapted to be grasped in the hand and to be shifted by the action of the hand gripping them. the amount of force exerted being indicated by an index operatively connected tothe members and cooperating with a dial.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view partly in front eleva-' tion and partly in section of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a view partly in side eleva- .tion and partly in section.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation.

Figure 4 is an elevationof a modified form of device.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a suitable housing having a transparent wall 2 back of which is arranged a scale or graduated strip 3. The housing is provided in the lower portion of the back thereof with a transverse recess 4 in one end of which is secured a post 5. Another post 6 is secured in the other end of the recess and is so shaped as to be gripped comfortably by the hand of the user. Rods 7 connect the upper and lower ends of the two posts 5 and 6 and slidably mounted on these rods is a movable grip 8 so shaped as to fit the hand comfortably. Springs 9 are interposed between the movable grip 8 and the post or stationary grip 6 so as normally to resist movement of the grip 8.

A slot 10 is formed in the housing above the rods, 7 and extending upwardly through this slot'is an index or pointer 11; secured to the movable grip S and normally fr'egis' tering with the first or Zero graduation on the scale or strip 3;

A block 12 is connected to the lower portion of the index 11 and moves this block being with a notch 13.

therewith, provided in its upper edge A cross strip 14 is secured in the housing and has a notch 15 in its upper edge with which the notch 13 normally registers. A locking lever 16 is fulcrumed in the housing as shown at 17 and is provided at one end with a coin cam 18 located directly under a coin slot 19. Lever 16 is so proportioned and weighted that the back end thereof normally rests in the notches 15 and 13 so as to secure the movable parts of the device against actuation. When a coin is deposited on the pan 18, however, the lever will be o-verbalanced so as to shift out of engagement with the notches 13 and 15 and thus release the index 11. Consequently the user can then open the hand so as to grasp the grips 6 and 8 therein and by closing the hand the grip 8 will be caused to move toward the grip 6 and place the springs 9 under compression." The amount of this movement will depend upon the strength of the hand and the index moving along the scale 3 will accurately disclose in units of measure, the amount of strength exerted. Any suitable means may be employed for dislodging the coin from the pan after the index has been moved from its initial position but as this means constitutes in itself no part of the present invention it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate it.

A simplified form of the device has been illustrated in Figure 4. This consists of a plate 20 on which an index or pointer 21 is pivotally mounted, the same being adapted to work over a series of graduations shown at 22. The pivot end of this index has a segmental gear 23 which meshes with another segmental gear 2 1 secured to one end of a grip 25 which is pivotally attached to the plate 20 as shown at 26. Another grip 27 is fixedly connected to the plate 20 and interposed between the free end portions of the two grips is a spring 28. By grasping the parts 25 and 27 in the hand and squeezing the hand together the grip 25 will be shifted relative to the grip 27 and gear 24 will cause gear 23 and index 21 to move over the plate and indicate by units of measure the amount of force exerted.

What is claimed is r- In a device of the class described the combination with a plate having a series of graduations extending straight across it, of a stationary grip, guide rods extending from the end portions thereof, a second grip slidable on the guide rods, springs mounted on the rods and bearing against the grips for retarding the movement of the slidable'grip, a cross strip mounted adjacent the plate I and having a notch, a pointer connected to i and movable with the slidalole grip a member movable with the pointer and having a notch normally registering with the notch in the cross strip, and a coin controlled lever normally seated in both notches to hold the index or pointer against movement and to lock the slidable grip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD M. ROBERTS.

Witnesses: 7

Geo. W. Mom, J. D. Bra-own. 

